British Esports Association joins UK games industry trade body Ukie

Press Releases -
10 Oct 2017

The British Esports
Association, the not-for-profit national body set up to support grassroots
competitive gaming, has joined UK Interactive Entertainment (Ukie) as a member.

Ukie is the trade body for
the UK games industry; its members include publishers, developers and esports
companies.

British Esports has been working with Ukie throughout this
year and looking at ways in which the two organisations can collaborate.

The pair have been working with educational establishments
to help them understand the esports ecosystem and career paths, and also
educating the media around what esports is and how it works.

Andy Payne, Chair of British Esports, commented: "I am
really glad that we have joined Ukie. At British Esports we are focused on supporting
and promoting the grassroots esports scene, working with players and fans.

“Our projects around schools and libraries will support
those communities by promoting teamwork, building confidence and inspiring the
digital workforce of the future. Our aim is to help to make the UK a winning
environment for the esports industry.”

Ukie said in a statement: “Ukie is delighted to welcome the
British esports Association as our latest member, joining other major
stakeholders active in esports in the UK today including: esports event
organisers ESL, FaceIt, Multiplay and Gfinity; developers and publishers such as Riot
Games, Hi Rez, Activision Blizzard and EA; and teams and university leagues,
Team Dignitas and the National University Esports League.

“Ukie looks forward to working closely with the British Esports Association to
grow the sector from the grassroots, collaborating on building the profile of
the sector in the UK and inspiring the next generation into esports.

“Ukie’s current esports initiatives include developing new
esports qualifications and expanding our Digital Schoolhouse esports
competition to give over 1,000 children from schools all over the country to
compete against each other and get a taste of the wide range of roles that make
up esports. And as the main point of contact for government policy and
regulation relating to esports in the UK, we will be calling for more support
from government for esports in this country.”

ENDS

About the British Esports Association

The British Esports Association is a not-for-profit organisation
established in 2016 to support and promote esports in the UK.

As a national body, its aims are to foster future British talent,
increase the awareness of esports and provide expertise and advice. It’s
focused on the grassroots level of esports.

The Association hopes to help educate the masses – including parents,
teachers, media and government – around what esports is and its benefits.

Ukie (UK
Interactive Entertainment) is the only trade body for the UK's games and
interactive entertainment industry. A not-for-profit, it represents businesses
of all sizes from small start-ups to large multinational developers, publishers
and service companies, working across online, mobile apps, consoles, PC,
esports, VR and AR.

Ukie aims to
support, grow and promote member businesses and the wider UK games and
interactive entertainment industry by optimising the economic, cultural,
political and social environment needed for businesses to thrive. Ukie also
works closely with the sector to influence government and decision makers.